Atlas of Charcoal-Based Grilling Fuel Components

This “Atlas of Charcoal-Based Grilling Fuel Components” features compilation of over 620 microscopic images taken between 2019 and 2021 while our team was improving methodology of using reflected light microscopy in identification of charcoal-based grilling fuels constituents. These photomicrographs provide documentation of the composition of the fuels and demonstrate the array of impurities that can be present. As such, this atlas is a valuable source of information for anyone interested in grilling, pellet fuels, optical microscopy, and quality assessment techniques

Emissions during grilling with wood pellets and chips

The quality check of grilling wood pellets should be of a critical importance as smoke from their combustion has a direct contact with food, impacts human safety, and pollutes the atmosphere. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the purity of grilling wood pellets and chips available on the market, analyze the properties of their combustion gases, and determine if a relationship between the fuel composition and emissions during grilling can be established. In this study, we investigated 45 types of BBQ wood pellets and wood chips available for purchase in the USA and Europe. Based on reflected light microscopy analysis, the samples are composed dominantly of biomass, ranging from 87.5 to 99.8 vol % for wood pellets and 96.5 to 99.1 vol % for wood chips, with the average impurities content of 1.7 vol % for wood pellets and 2.2 vol % for wood chips. The undesired components included bark, mineral matter, charcoal, coke, metal, rust, slag, and petroleum products. Our data show that grilling with wood pellets and chips leads to elevated emissions of particulate matter (PM), NO2, SO2, CO, CO2, and formaldehyde in comparison with recommended exposure limits. The average emissions of PM are higher from wood chips than from pellets by approximately 85 μg/m3, and they come mainly from PM2.5; the contribution from PM of 2.5–10 μm in size is rather insignificant. CO2 emissions, on average 2.67% from pellets and 2.27% from wood chips, were elevated comparing with a typical outdoor air level of 0.03–0.05% (300–500 ppm). The level of emissions of individual components also changes during the grilling cycle, and depends on the type of combusted wood, grilling conditions and fuel moisture content

Atlas of Wood Pellet Components

Concerns about climate change, energy security, and the diversification of energy supplies have made renewable resources increasingly more attractive and important sources of energy. As interest grows, bioenergy (energy from bio-based sources) is becoming more environmentally friendly and economically viable and has started to play a more prominent role in the global energy mix. In this changing market, wood pellets have emerged as a sustainable source of power with the potential to become a mainstream fuel in the future energy market

Ceramic-polylactide composite material used in a model of healing of osseous defects in rabbits

The growing demand for various kinds of bone regeneration material has in turn increased the desire to find materials with optimal physical, chemical, and biological properties. The objective of the present study was to identify the proportions of ceramic and polylactide components in a bone substitute material prepared in collaboration with the Crystal Chemistry of Drugs Team of the Faculty of Chemistry at the Jagiellonian University, which would be optimal for bone regeneration processes. Another goal was to provide a histological analysis of the influence of a ceramic-polylactide composite on the healing of osseous defects in rabbits. The study was performed on laboratory animals (18 New Zealand White rabbits). The following study groups were formed: – group A (study group, 9 animals) – in this group we performed a histological analysis of healing with a ceramic-polylactide composite based on an 80/20 mix of hydroxyapatite and polylactide; – group B (study group, 9 animals) – in this group we performed a histological analysis of healing with a ceramic-polylactide composite with a reduced amount of hydroxyapatite compared to the previous group, i.e. in a ratio of 61/39; – group K (control, 18 animals) – the control group comprised self-healing, standardised osseous defects prepared in the calvarial bone of the rabbits on the contralateral side. In the assessment of histological samples, we were also able to eliminate individual influences that might have led to differentiation in wound healing. The material used in the histological analysis took the form of rabbit bone tissue samples, containing both defects, with margins of around 0.5 cm, taken 1, 3, and 6 months after the experiment. The osseous defects from groups A and B filled with ceramic-polylactide material healed with less inflammatory infiltration than was the case with control group K. They were also characterised by faster regression, and no resorption or osteonecrosis, which allowed for better regeneration of the bone tissue. A statistical analysis of the study results revealed the increased resorptive activity of the composite in group B, which may have been due to its higher polylactide content. Simultaneously, we observed that healing of osseous defects filled with ceramic-polylactide composites in 80/20 and 61/39 ratios was comparable

Hydroxyapatite microspheres coated with poly(D,L-lactide) as bone filler and antibiotic delivery system

Wciąż nie udało się otrzymać implantu kostnego, który charakteryzowałby się wysoką biozgodnością i bioaktywnością, osteokonduktywnością, odpowiednimi właściwościami mechanicznymi oraz dobrą poręcznością chirurgiczną. Dodatkową zaletą tego typu materiału powinna być możliwość dostarczenia antybiotyku w wybrane miejsce ludzkiego organizmu w celu zapobiegania rozwojowi potencjalnych infekcji związanych z jego wszczepianiem. Opracowano nowy kompozytowy nośnik leku, składający się z porowatych granul hydroksyapatytowych pokrywanych poli(D,L-laktydem) z klindamycyną, mający znaleźć zastosowanie jako implant kostny w chirurgii szczękowo-twarzowej. Właściwości materiałów wykorzystanych do produkcji implantu zostały zbadane z użyciem metodXRD, FTIR, BET oraz DSC. Rozmiar i morfologię granul (250-1000μm) określono za pomocą mikroskopii SEM. Technika ta posłużyła także do określenia rozmiaru (10-40 μm) oraz rozmieszczenia porów. Udział objętościowy porów został oszacowany za pomocą metody hydrostatycznej. Przygotowano cztery grupy granul z różną zawartością klindamycyny. Zbadano właściwości uwalniania (trwającego 15-22 dni) leku z warstwy polimerowej. Od pierwszej godziny, aż do końca eksperymentu, obserwowano aktywność bakteriobójczą uwolnionej klindamycyny. W przypadku dwóch grup granul przez pierwszych pięć dni szczep bakteryjny gronkowca złocistego wykazywał wrażliwość lub średnią wrażliwość na uwolniony lek. Przedstawione w niniejszej pracy wyniki badań dowodzą, że opisywany kompozyt może znaleźć zastosowanie jako potencjalny implant kostny i nośnik leków. Prowadzone są dalsze badania nad zaprezentowanym materiałem.The problem of developing the bone implant, characterized by high biocompatibility, bioactivity, osteoconductivity, suitable mechanical properties and good surgical handiness, is still not solved. Additional advantage of such material should be the capability of delivering an antibiotic to a chosen part of the human body in order to prevent occurrence of post-operative infections. A novel drug delivery system, composed of porous hydroxyapatite granules with poly(D,L-lactide) coating incorporating clindamycin, was engineered for use as a bone filler in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The properties of the materials, used to obtain the implant, were examined by the use of XRD, FTIR, BET and DSC methods. The size (250-1000μm) and morphology of granules were determined with SEM. This technique was also applied to investigate the size (10-40 μm) and distribution of pores. The solvent accessible pore volume was evaluated by the hydrostatic method. Four groups of granules with different concentrations of clindamycin were prepared. The properties of drug release (lasting 15 to 22 days) from the polylactide layer were studied. The antimicrobial activity of the released clindamycin was observed from the first hour till the end of the experiment. The Staphylococcus aureus strain was susceptible or intermediately susceptible to the released drug during first 5 days for two studied groups. These experimental results indicate that the studied composite material may be used as a potential bone implant and drug carrier. The described system is still under investigation

The Role of Organic and Inorganic Amendments in Carbon Sequestration and Immobilization of Heavy Metals in Degraded Soils

To investigate the effect of organic and inorganic amendments on heavy metal immobilization in soil and organic carbon sequestration, a growth chamber study over a period of 18 months was conducted. Phytoremediation of two degraded soils, smelter-polluted soil and post-mining soil, was carried out using Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) and Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus x Giganteus). The increase in organic carbon content for lake chalk amended soils was noted. In addition, the largest root biomass production after fertilization of heavy metal contaminated soil with lake chalk was observed. This soil additive increases soil pH and reduces heavy metal mobility, which finally minimizes the harmful effect of metals on plant life and growth. Root biomass production of Giant Miscanthus was significantly higher than Scots Pine root biomass for both soils. This may indicate better phytosequestration properties of Giant Miscanthus, especially in the case of land degradation due to mining and destruction of soil profiles

BABA-Induced DNA Methylome Adjustment to Intergenerational Defense Priming in Potato to Phytophthora infestans

We provide evidence that alterations in DNA methylation patterns contribute to the regulation of stress-responsive gene expression for an intergenerational resistance of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA)-primed potato to Phytophthora infestans. Plants exposed to BABA rapidly modified their methylation capacity toward genome-wide DNA hypermethylation. De novo induced DNA methylation (5-mC) correlated with the up-regulation of Chromomethylase 3 (CMT3), Domains rearranged methyltransferase 2 (DRM2), and Repressor of silencing 1 (ROS1) genes in potato. BABA transiently activated DNA hypermethylation in the promoter region of the R3a resistance gene triggering its downregulation in the absence of the oomycete pathogen. However, in the successive stages of priming, an excessive DNA methylation state changed into demethylation with the active involvement of potato DNA glycosylases. Interestingly, the 5-mC–mediated changes were transmitted into the next generation in the form of intergenerational stress memory. Descendants of the primed potato, which derived from tubers or seeds carrying the less methylated R3a promoter, showed a higher transcription of R3a that associated with an augmented intergenerational resistance to virulent P. infestans when compared to the inoculated progeny of unprimed plants. Furthermore, our study revealed that enhanced transcription of some SA-dependent genes (NPR1, StWRKY1, and PR1) was not directly linked with DNA methylation changes in the promoter region of these genes, but was a consequence of methylation-dependent alterations in the transcriptional network

Risk of left atrial appendage thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics, the incidence of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus and its predictors, and spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in a population of patients with AF depending on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values. Methods: This study included 1962 patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiographic examination (TEE) prior to cardioversion or ablation in the years 2014–2018 in three cardiac centers. Results: More than a quarter of AF patients had decreased eGFR ( < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and were characterized as a high-risk population, with more comorbidities, higher thromboembolic and bleeding risk compared to those with normal renal function. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) was prescribed in 97% and 93% of patients with decreased and normal eGFR, respectively, with a higher prevalence of prescribed non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The incidence of LAA thrombus (24%, 9% and 4%) and SEC (25%, 25% and 19%) increases simultaneously with a decrease in eGFR ( < 30, 30–59 and > 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively). Among patients prescribed reduced doses of NOAC, those with decreased eGFR were more often observed with LAA thrombus (10% vs. 2.5%). Non-paroxysmal AF, heart failure and previous bleeding were predictors of LAA thrombus, irrespective of eGFR value. CKD was the predictor of LAA thrombus in all patients including those with non-paroxysmal AF, males, without diabetes, without hypertension and with CHA2DS2-VASc < 2. Conclusions: Despite OAC, patients with concomitant AF and CKD remain at high risk for LAA thrombus formation